


Crashing

by Alexandria (heartfullofelves)



Series: Fractures [3]
Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Minor Sexuality Crisis, Not Season/Series 02 Compliant, Plot With Porn, Post-Season/Series 01
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 12:22:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22969927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartfullofelves/pseuds/Alexandria
Summary: Isobel just wants to kiss Rosa, but more lies and truths have to come out.
Relationships: Isobel Evans & Everyone, Isobel Evans/Rosa Ortecho
Series: Fractures [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1353610
Kudos: 25





	Crashing

**Author's Note:**

> I intended to finish this long before season 2 started but, er, I didn't. Anyway, apparently my kink is Rosa and Isobel giving a damn about each other, which canon isn’t providing. I have to do everything myself around here!

Isobel doesn’t have anything on this afternoon, despite being back at work full-time and having resumed her appearance of a normal life months ago. She considers going to visit her parents, but last time she talked to them they asked her if she’d heard from Max in Europe, and she had to hang up before her throat closed up. No doubt if she sees them, she’ll break cover, and she can’t have that. The Evans parents are small-town people; they won’t cope with the truth about the children they adopted. They shouldn’t have to.

Her ringtone disturbs her from her mindless wandering around the house. She stands still, takes a deep breath to release some of her anxious energy, and answers the call. “Hello?”

Rosa’s voice says, “Hey, it’s me. Are you free?”

“Yeah, I’m free.” In what Isobel appreciates as a great display of irony, another call comes through. She tells Rosa to hang on a sec and hangs up on the second, unknown, caller. “I’m here. What’s up, Rosa?”

“I’d kinda like to see you, if that’s not too much to ask.”

Isobel sighs. “Of course it’s not. But Michael’s servicing my car, so I can’t drive out to you. You’re still living at Max’s, right?”

“Right.” There’s a hint of disappointment in Rosa’s voice. “I’ll see you later.”

“Bye.”

Isobel’s frowning even after she ends the call. She hasn’t been alone with Rosa since the night she got shot in the Crashdown and Rosa and Liz told Arturo everything. Remembering that night, she strokes her lips. Weeks have passed since the kiss, and there hasn’t been a repeat. It’s for the best, she thinks, because they’re too messed up to jump into bed – or into a relationship – together.

Deciding the house needs dusting, she puts on some loud music and gets a damp rag. They used to pay a housekeeper every week, but since her husband’s death Isobel has taken on all the cleaning herself. She’d taken great pleasure in ripping his expensive clothes to pieces and turning them into rags. It’s the one reminder of him that she doesn’t mind keeping.

She’s deep into cleaning mode when the doorbell rings. Putting down her rag, she goes to the door and pulls it open. She blinks; it’s Rosa.

“Hey.” Rosa smiles.

Isobel stares at her, then ushers her inside, slamming the door. “Did you drive over here in broad daylight?”

Rolling her eyes, Rosa takes off her shoes. “The world may have changed since 2008, but I’m still the same reckless Rosa Ortecho.”

“Are you?”

“Yes.”

Rosa grabs Isobel and pushes her against the wall. They stare at each other for a few seconds, Isobel noting the mascara on Rosa’s naturally dark eyelashes. Rosa licks her lips and Isobel’s chest heaves. Then Rosa leans in and kisses her.

Unlike their kiss on the Crashdown rooftop, this is rough, and Isobel can feel Rosa’s desperation. This is why Rosa risked discovery by driving here in daylight.

After the revelation about Noah’s abuse, Isobel thought she couldn’t like it rough ever again. She was wrong: rough turns out to be exactly what she needs. Her fingers clutch at Rosa’s jean-clad hips. She wants to bruise and to be bruised. She wants to leave scratches on Rosa’s back, and for Rosa to do the same to her.

Rosa moans, the sound of it making Isobel shiver. She’s never made a woman moan before – not like this, anyway. The way they’re crashing together is all new and imperfect, but perfect at the same time.

Isobel is reaching to unzip Rosa’s jeans and Rosa has her hand up Isobel’s shirt when the doorbell rings. They’re still right by the entranceway. Rosa swears in Spanish, and Isobel drops her hands, sighing. She tells Rosa to shush, because she’s not expecting company. When she looks through the peep hole, it’s her turn to curse.

It’s Sheriff Valenti.

Without a word, Isobel grabs Rosa’s arm and drags her into the bedroom.

Rosa struggles against her. “Are you seriously shoving me in the closet?” she hisses.

Isobel drops her hold on Rosa’s arm. “Under the bed then. And don’t come out until I say so. It’s the sheriff.”

Rosa gasps, but Isobel flees the bedroom, shutting the door behind her and returning to the entrance of her house. She takes a deep breath before opening the door.

“Sheriff,” she says, trying to sound surprised but not shaken. “What can I do for you?”

Valenti takes off her hat. “Good afternoon, Mrs Evans-Bracken,” she says, making Isobel wince. “I tried to call you, but your phone was engaged. I’m afraid I’m here about your brother Max.”

Isobel takes a step back. “What... what’s happened?”

“Your parents reported him missing this morning.” Valenti’s face is sombre. “I’d like to ask you a few questions, if I may. I know you two are close.” The use of the present tense sounds so strange, but of course Valenti doesn’t know the truth.

Isobel blinks, then nods, stepping aside. “Sure. Come in.”

It’s been months since Max died and they created the story of his impromptu trip to Europe. So, in theory, Isobel has had all this time to prepare to talk to Sheriff Valenti. She just wishes it didn’t have to happen with Jim Valenti’s illegitimate dead daughter in her bedroom.

* * *

She thanks her lucky stars that Sheriff Valenti doesn’t stay long, perhaps 10 minutes. There are only a few questions about when she was last in contact with Max. Valenti shakes her head as she takes notes, apologetic. It reminds Isobel that Valenti was Max’s boss, so she must be worried on a personal level too.

“When did you last see him?” Isobel ventures to ask.

Valenti clicks her tongue. “I wish I could tell you, but it wouldn’t be professional.”

Isobel flutters her eyelashes. “Please? I need to know.”

“I haven’t seen Max since the day before that big storm,” Valenti says at last.

“Oh.” Desperate for the questions to stop, Isobel asks, “Is that all?”

Valenti nods. “I’d better get going. Thanks for your time. It must be hard for you, for your brother to go missing so soon after your husband died. ”

“It is.”

Isobel walks the sheriff out, but she pauses on the doorstep. “Is that Liz Ortecho’s car in your driveway?”

Time stands still for a split second before Isobel brings herself to say, “Yes. She left it here while she went on a run. She’s bored of her usual route.” It’s not until the words have left her mouth that she remembers Liz hates running.

“I didn’t know you two were friends.” Valenti frowns.

“More like close acquaintances.” Isobel’s gaze falls upon Rosa’s sneakers on the floor by the doorway, and she forces herself not to panic. “I’ll let her know the news about Max. They were– they’re in love, you know.” She rolls her eyes, ever the twin sister.

Valenti raises her eyebrows. “You don’t approve?”

Once upon a time she would’ve talked some crap about Liz and her family, but Isobel’s done enough damage to them already. “Liz could do much better than my brother,” she says instead. “Marry a surgeon, maybe.”

That makes Valenti chuckle. “I’ll be on my way now. You have a nice day.”

“You too, Sheriff. Bye.”

Isobel closes the door and leans against it, heart racing. She exhales. When she’s certain that Sheriff Valenti has left, she goes to the bedroom and announces that it’s safe to come out.

Rosa is scowling as she emerges from under the bed. “What the hell was that?” she demands.

“The sheriff was asking about Max’s disappearance. You should clear all your stuff from his house tonight, in case they search it.”

Rosa runs her hands through her hair. “Okay.” It’s obvious she’s trying not to panic. “Okay. Okay.”

Isobel touches her shoulder. “You’ll be fine. I can help if you need it.”

“Thanks. But I’ll stay at Ky – no, Alex’s. No, I need to stay away from the Manes family’s crap.” Rosa paces the room, muttering in Spanish.

Isobel steps into her path, making her look up. “What’s wrong with going home to your dad?”

“I want to. I really want to.” Rosa’s eyes water. “But Max can’t protect him anymore. If ICE comes for him, they’ll find me too.”

Sheriff Valenti is sure to return to Isobel’s door as the investigation goes on, and Rosa doesn’t know or trust Michael, so his place is also out.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” Isobel says, remembering the last time they argued about it, “but you might have to stay at Maria’s.”

Rosa smiles, a real smile. “So I finally get your permission to tell her everything?”

Isobel hugs herself, because it isn’t what she wants, but it seems there’s no choice. “If you must,” she says.

* * *

They wait until closing time at the Wild Pony, then Liz and Michael go in, leaving Rosa and Isobel standing in the parking lot. Rosa puts her ear to the door of the bar and scrunches up her face in concentration.

“What’s happening?” Isobel asks.

“Shh!” Rosa listens for what must be a full minute before turning to Isobel. “They’ve told Maria about aliens. Now she’s yelling. Can’t blame a girl.”

“Let me know when they tell her about you.”

Isobel gets out her phone and scrolls through her Instagram feed. She gets to the end of today’s posts before Rosa grabs her arm.

“Let’s go,” says Rosa, pulling Isobel inside the Wild Pony. “Wassup bitches?” she says with a grin that couldn’t be more the opposite of Maria’s devastated look.

Not wanting to be in the way, Isobel retrieves her arm from Rosa’s grasp and lays what she hopes is a comforting hand on Rosa’s shoulder before sitting next to Michael.

Maria embraces Rosa, crying, and Isobel wants to give them privacy but can’t tear her eyes away. The display of emotion persuades her that she was wrong: they should have told Maria earlier. Isobel's own reaction to finding out Max and Michael had lied for 10 years about what happened the night Rosa died should’ve convinced her.

Isobel and Michael sit in awkward silence. He breaks first, making a quiet excuse to leave. She at least waits until Maria lets Rosa stay with her and Liz gets Rosa’s bags from her car. They don’t even notice when she says goodbye.

* * *

Her parents call in on Sunday to inform her they reported Max missing yesterday.

“Thanks for coming over now to tell me,” she says with a fake smile.

Apart from that, the next few days could almost be described as normal. Michael is busy with some investigation with Alex and Kyle, and she doesn’t contact Rosa, letting her adjust to living at Maria’s. So she’s a little surprised when Rosa calls her late one night and asks her to come over.

Rosa answers the door in her underwear, which makes Isobel raise her eyebrows. “Hey. Maria’s out.” Her smile is wicked.

“Am I your booty call?” Isobel asks.

Rosa’s face falls and she twists her hands together, fidgeting. “I died, Isobel! My life was taken from me and then I was brought back. And it’s been months and I just need…I don’t know, something to make me feel alive? If you don’t want to, then fine. Just let me down and go.”

“Hey.” Isobel softens her voice. “I haven’t had sex in months either. I get it, Rosa; I get it.” She steps forward and takes Rosa’s hand.

Blinking – though Isobel can still tell her eyes are wet – Rosa leads Isobel through Maria’s house and into a bedroom. Isobel gives the décor a sceptical glance.

“This used to be Mimi’s room before she went into assisted living,” Rosa explains, shutting the door behind them.

“You don’t feel weird about hooking up in Maria’s mom’s room?”

“That’s definitely the least weird part about all this,” Rosa laughs.

Reassured, Isobel takes off her jacket and shoes.

Rosa clicks her tongue and gives a look of disapproval. “You’re still wearing too many clothes.”

“You’d better help me then,” says Isobel, undoing the first few buttons on her shirt. “Unless you like to watch?”

Rosa grabs Isobel’s hips and kisses her, making her moan. “No patience for that.” She undoes the front of Isobel’s pants while Isobel removes her shirt.

They land on the bed, both down to their underwear.

“Much better,” Rosa says before they kiss again.

Isobel understands exactly what Rosa meant about feeling alive. Her skin is on fire, just from making out. It’s been a long time since she was touched like this, and she doesn’t let herself remember the last time, because this moment is hers and Rosa’s; Noah is banished from her thoughts.

“Is this okay?” asks Rosa. “You seem distracted.”

Isobel rolls them over so that she’s on top, sliding her thigh between Rosa’s. “Couldn’t be better,” she says before pressing her lips to Rosa’s cleavage. Rosa’s body temperature is lower than she’s used to – it turns out aliens are hotter than humans – but her skin is smooth and the gasps she makes turn Isobel on.

She takes her time exploring Rosa’s body: breasts, stomach, thighs, neck. It’s the first time she’s touched a woman like this – her heart threatens to leap out of her chest, not from nerves but excitement. Everything just feels _right_.

Rosa pulls her back up so that they’re face to face, and kisses her, putting her hands in Isobel’s hair. They both moan.

“Tell me what you want,” Isobel murmurs against Rosa’s neck.

“I want to be inside you,” says Rosa, pushing Isobel onto her back. She straddles Isobel, caressing her breasts for a while before moving to her thighs.

“Oh god,” Isobel whispers, staring up at Rosa and her messed up hair and pink lips, unable to quite believe this is happening. She grabs one of Rosa’s hands and says, “Fuck me.”

At the same time, she’s both ready and not ready for her panties to come off and for Rosa to circle her outer labia touching her clit. She can feel sweat forming between her breasts; Rosa bends down and licks it off, making her shudder. When Rosa slips inside her, she can’t control the strangled groan that escapes her lips.

Rosa gazes down at Isobel. “You’re so wet.” Her voice is full of wonder, and it’s beautiful.

Isobel grabs Rosa’s hair and pulls her down for a kiss, their tongues caressing as Rosa penetrates her. Her stomach feels fizzy; her toes curl. As her climax approaches fast, she breaks the kiss, overwhelmed, and clutches Rosa’s back. Wave after wave of orgasm washes over her, and she and Rosa are both loud.

It’s not until after Isobel has stopped and caught her breath that she realises Rosa’s moans were because of how hard her nails were digging into Rosa’s back.

“Are you okay?” she demands, tracing one of the marks she left behind. “Did I hurt you?”

“No more than I wanted you to.” Rosa winks, making Isobel’s heart react more than she’d like to admit. “You can return the favour though.”

Isobel turns them over so that she’s on top again. “With pleasure,” she replies with a slow smile, slipping her fingers inside Rosa’s panties and dedicating the rest of the night to learning how to touch her.

* * *

The next morning, Isobel arrives at Sanders’ Auto with two coffees. Handing one to Michael, she says, “I think I’m gay.”

“Okay?” he replies, frowning.

She sits down next to him and takes a gulp of her Americano, which she’s spiked with acetone. “I had sex with a woman last night and it was better than anything with Noah. Which is saying something.”

“Okay,” Michael says again, this time with raised eyebrows.

“I don’t know, it was just… Maybe it was better because I was in complete control of myself. Or maybe I just prefer girls. I don’t know!” She looks at Michael, hoping for an answer.

Instead, he shrugs. “Whaddya want me to tell you, Iz? Congrats, girls are hot?”

“Ugh,” she groans. “This is why we don’t talk about this stuff.”

“Right.”

They continue drinking their coffees in silence, staring out at the view of the junkyard. 

“I’m not telling you who it is,” she adds.

“And I’m not asking.” He places his coffee cup on the ground. “But are you going to ask me how the investi-”

He’s cut off by the sheriff’s car pulling into the junkyard.

“Tell me you don’t have anything illegal lying around,” Isobel hisses out of the side of her mouth.

“Mrs Evans-Bracken,” Sheriff Valenti says as she gets out of the car and strolls up to Isobel and Michael. “Can you accompany me to the station please?”

Isobel and Michael share panicked looks.

Forcing herself to stay calm, Isobel finishes her coffee and gets to her feet. “Of course, Sheriff. What’s this about?”

“I can’t say until we get to the station. Come on.”

Michael touches her shoulder and mouths, _Max?_

She nods. Then, knowing she has no choice, she follows the sheriff to the car.

* * *

The sheriff’s office is cool, making Isobel shiver. Dark, too. She feels trapped before Sheriff Valenti even starts questioning her. The first question doesn’t help her shake that feeling.

“Did you know that Max hadn’t bought an air ticket?” asks Valenti, sitting with her eyebrows raised in expectation.

Isobel keeps a straight face. “No, but it was all very sudden. Maybe he planned to buy a ticket at the airport?”

“Instead of online? Really?”

“My brother isn’t the most modern person,” Isobel says with a smile, remembering to speak in present tense. “He didn’t even get an internet connection for nearly six months after moving into his house.”

Valenti chuckles. “I remember. We had to help drag him into the 21st century.”

“Kicking and screaming,” Isobel adds, nodding along.

She’s created a rapport now, and along with her powers of influence, she controls the rest of the interview. She leaves Sheriff Valenti convinced that Max hadn’t bought a ticket because his internet was down from the storm, and that something must’ve happened to him after Liz dropped him at the airport.

On the way out, she sees Liz waiting in a chair. They exchange looks, but Isobel nods at Liz’s phone, as she was able to multitask and text an update on the Max situation while talking to the sheriff. Getting the message, Liz nods.

Isobel takes an Uber back to the junkyard so she can pick up her car, and it’s only when she sees Michael’s still there that she sighs in relief.

“I said I wouldn’t ask,” he says, “but that woman you slept with…”

“No,” she almost yells. “Why would you think that?”

He shrugs. “It would be a great way to get her off your tail.”

She shakes her head, pulling a face. “I’m using my other skills to do that, thanks.”

“Speaking of other skills, you manage to heal anyone yet?” he asks.

“No. Are you offering to get hurt?”

The hesitation on his face makes her both regret the question and worry about him.

She sighs and swats his arm. “It’s a good thing I haven’t had to heal anyone.”

“Yeah, what’s that old saying? The fewer people bleeding in the Crashdown the better?”

Her hand goes to her thigh, where she got shot and he healed her. She shivers at the memory, but the memory is the only marker that it even happened, as her skin where the wound had been is just the same as it always was.

“I’m horribly late for work,” she realises, jumping to her feet.

“Hey, I still didn’t tell you about the-”

“Bye Michael!”

She rushes to work and manages a half day, but her mind is elsewhere – she asks the office assistant to get her a clipboard and almost calls it something very different. It’s embarrassing; Isobel Evans is never out of it like this.

After work, she goes to Maria’s place. Maria is home and lets her in with a frown that says, _What the hell are you doing here?_

Rosa, sitting on the couch, smiles at her. “Hey Izzy.”

“Hey.”

Maria looks at them both. “Are you two friends now? Seriously? After what you did to her?” she directs this last question at Isobel.

“It’s complicated,” Isobel says, because she shouldn’t have to explain it to Maria.

“I forgave her last night,” Rosa says with a wink, “several times.”

“And I graciously accepted Rosa’s forgiveness.” Isobel can’t help smirking.

“Right. Don’t murder her while I’m gone,” Maria orders, grabbing her keys and leaving.

Once they’re alone, a weighty silence permeates the room. They watch each other, expectant.

Isobel swallows and speaks first. “I couldn’t stop thinking about it all day.” She clears her throat before her second confession: “I kind of missed you.”

Rosa sidles up to her and whispers, “Then stay with me tonight.”

Turning her head to meet Rosa’s eyes, Isobel smiles, her heart feeling warm. It feels like the right thing to do, and she should know by now to listen to her conscience rather than keeping on making mistakes and hurting the people she cares about. She answers Rosa by putting a hand around her waist.

It’s then that both of their phones buzz.

* * *

Early the next morning, everyone arrives at the rendezvous point outside a deserted military compound. “Everyone” consists of Isobel, Michael, Liz, Rosa, Alex, Kyle, and Maria, to Isobel’s surprise. Alex had sent each of them a checklist of items to bring. He now explains that was because the area may be booby-trapped. Maria and Rosa look a little unsure about this, but neither voices any doubts.

Kyle, however, raises his hand. “What if you have a phobia of booby traps?

“Yeah,” says Isobel. “I’m terrified they’ll mess up my hair.”

Michael smirks while the others narrow their eyes at her.

Alex clears his throat and splits the seven of them into three small teams. The military compound comprises three stark, rundown buildings that would look more at home in the former Eastern Bloc than they do in New Mexico. Each team is assigned one of the buildings to search, their aim to find any government records of the existence of aliens. Alex has been working with Michael and Kyle to discover how far up the conspiracy goes, to little success so far, but apparently this compound will be the key.

“And whatever you do,” says Alex, “if you find a computer, don’t touch it. Call me first.”

Everyone forms their groups and heads for the compound. Isobel is less than enthused to have Maria as her teammate.

“If it’s any consolation, I’m not happy about being partnered up with someone who can get inside my mind whenever she wants,” Maria says.

Isobel scoffs. “That was one time!”

“Wait, you mean you’ve actually done it?” Maria stops marching.

“Just once. Trust me, if I did it regularly your wardrobe would improve. I mean, what is the point of _that_?” Isobel asks, eyeing Maria’s strange choice of a long-sleeved shirt and mustard shorts that barely cover her backside.

“Well, at least I didn’t cover up the murder of three teenage girls and start a race war in Roswell. I can’t _believe_ Liz and Rosa forgave you.”

There is no good comeback to Maria’s words. They reveal just what Maria thinks of Isobel and her family. Even worse, the truth of her words can’t be denied. Breathless, Isobel is left to stare at Maria’s back as she strides ahead and reaches the door of the building.

Isobel lets Maria struggle to open the door for a while before she takes pity and uses her powers to unlock it. The two of them wait to see if this activates any traps, but after a minute it seems they’re in the clear. They enter the building in silence and search each of the rooms. The building has two storeys, but the rooms are big and empty and decidedly not booby-trapped, so it doesn’t take long for them to discover there’s nothing useful here.

On their way down the stairs, Maria’s phone rings. She answers and has a quick, fraught conversation before hanging up.

“Who was it?” Isobel frowns.

Maria pockets her phone. “That was Alex – Rosa's trapped inside an office somewhere. He wants us to help Liz and Michael search the other building while he and Kyle get Rosa out.”

Isobel’s heart jumps at the mention of Rosa’s name, but hearing she’s in trouble doesn’t help matters. “God, is Rosa all right?”

“Apart from the claustrophobia, she’s fine.”

“She has claustrophobia?” Isobel can hear the shrillness in her own voice.

“She’ll be fine,” Maria says again.

They hurry to find Liz and Michael, who are on their way out of the second building.

“Did you find anything?” says Isobel.

“Mostly booby traps. Oh, and this.” Liz holds up a ring binder. “Now I want to focus on getting Rosa out. She doesn’t like small spaces.”

The last building in the compound has more rooms and nooks and crannies than the other two, and Alex hadn’t said anything about his team’s exact whereabouts. The result is that it takes a long time to locate him and Kyle. Isobel sighs in relief when they do.

Liz points at the door that Alex is drilling into. “She’s in there?”

Kyle answers, speaking over the drill. “The two of us were still in the corridor when she yelled that she’d found something. Then we heard a slam – the door must’ve locked behind her, kind of like a panic room. It’s soundproof, too.”

Maria gets out her phone and puts it to her ear. After a few seconds she puts the phone away. “Her phone is off or out of range,” she says.

Kyle nods. “We did think of that. She’s completely cut off.”

“How long has she been in there?” Isobel asks, trying to sound nonchalant. She’s pretty sure she fails, but at least the sound of the drill gives her an excuse to raise her voice.

Kyle checks the time. “More than 30 minutes, I think.”

The drilling stops, and Alex turns to the group. “Get back,” he warns before he and Kyle shove open the door.

“Y’know, I could’ve opened it,” Michael points out. “If you’d asked.”

“Well, I didn’t ask.”

Isobel frowns at Maria and Liz, who shoot her puzzled looks in return. They don’t understand this little exchange of Alex and Michael’s any more than she does.

Her heart lifts when Rosa stumbles through the office doorway and into Liz’s outstretched arms. She barely registers the boys going into the office to search for clues.

“I was really scared,” Rosa admits in a shaky voice.

Liz murmurs something that seems to comfort Rosa before releasing her.

“Are you okay?” Isobel asks.

Rosa’s smile is anything but convincing. “Yeah. Thanks.”

“Liz and Maria said you’re claustrophobic. And you were in there for ages, on your own.”

Rosa raises her eyebrows. “Were you worried about me?”

“Not worried. Just mildly concerned,” Isobel corrects her.

Rosa grins and hugs Isobel. “Next time you’re mildly concerned, how about doing something to help?”

Isobel chooses not to react to that burn but to kiss Rosa instead, right in front of Liz and Maria.

“Hey, can you give us a hand?” Michael’s voice gets closer. “Oh. _That_ makes sense.”

Isobel stops kissing Rosa to glare at him. She’s sick of being interrupted like this.

“We’ll help,” says Maria, pulling Liz away.

Letting go of Rosa, Isobel clears her throat. “I don’t know what to say,” she admits. Kissing Rosa was a declaration of sorts, but she doesn’t think she’s ready for another serious relationship, and she doesn’t think Rosa is either.

“You don’t need to say anything.” Rosa tilts her head towards the office. “But these guys might need a hand carrying stuff back to the cars. There’s a lot of crap in there.”

As if on cue, Michael walks past them with a big box of what Isobel assumes are illicit government files. “You helping or what?” 

While she looks for something she can carry out of here, she overhears Rosa asking what Michael meant by her and Isobel’s kiss making sense. Isobel gives an inward chuckle and doesn’t intervene, letting Michael and Rosa each tell the truth if they want. She’s done covering for other people’s deeds, done hiding. From now on, she wants her life to be as truthful as possible – and she knows who she can trust to help with that.


End file.
